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Inside the Home of Janey Winterbauer & Christian Erickson

Janey Winterbauer and Christian Erickson (and their two boys) love hanging out in the indoor-outdoor room recently converted from a back porch.

The first time they viewed their Tangletown home in south Minneapolis four years ago, Janey Winterbauer and Christian Erickson were immediately struck by its unique blend of eras. The 1917 entryway, for example, features turn-switch lighting fixtures and original wood floors. Just beyond, the open floor plan leads to a sunken living room that was added in the 1970s.

“It was love at first sight,” says Erickson who is a partner at branding agency Zeus Jones. “With the flow of the house, because of the additions and the way they were done, it kind of moves forward in time as you go. It’s totally unique in this neighborhood.”

Originally built in Arts and Crafts style, the home’s exterior is now slightly modernist. In the 1970s, the previous owners removed the original stucco finish and added redwood siding to give the house a cabin-like appearance.

Part of Winterbauer’s vinyl collection in nooks near the red lacquer wood-burning stove surrounded by Chicago brick.

The sunken living room, one part North woods cabin and one part ’70s rec room, features a built-in cabinet for LP records—perfect for holding the extensive vinyl collection that belongs to Winterbauer, a professional vocalist—and a red lacquer wood-burning stove surrounded by Chicago brick.

The home’s combination of eras and styles meshes perfectly with the couple’s mix-and-match approach to décor. “I like eclecticism, as long as you do it tastefully,” Erickson says.

Modern pieces blend seamlessly with antique finds and rock ‘n’ roll–infused wall art, leading to such memorable vignettes as a 1919-era lamp featuring a figure holding a glowing orb paired with a framed print of David Bowie. Built-in cabinets with glass doors showcase Winterbauer’s vintage glassware and other quirky finds, including a set of tiki mugs in the shapes of Star Wars characters.

Growing up going to her grandmother’s house, Winterbauer recalls being surrounded by objects from different eras and loving the mix. “It was fun to get a big house so I could fill it up with things I love,” she says.

Collected cool: A treasured Barcelona chair keeps company with an antique scale.

Despite Winterbauer’s penchant for antiques and the interior’s well-curated appearance, they don’t treat their home like a museum. “It has to be comfortable,” Winterbauer says. “A friend came over with his toddler and said, ‘Don’t touch that!’ And I was like, ‘It’s okay, relax!’ adds Erickson. “You can’t have anything that’s just for show. You have to actually live in your space.”

The Influencers: Janey Winterbauer and Christian Erickson

On where they shop for furniture:

The couple’s favorite spots for furniture are Room & Board and Crate & Barrel, and antique stores such as Find Furnish, Hunt & Gather, and Urban Cottage. “That’s actually where we get along the best,” Winterbauer quips. “It’s weird because [Erickson] has a different style—he’s a lot more minimal. I would have everything Art Deco if it were just me.”

On favorite spots for décor:

She scours eBay, midcentury online brand Joybird, and antique stores to style their home. “If I see something I love, I pounce on it,” she says. “And if I’m having a bad day, I go to the antique store and just wander around until something catches my eye. It’s such a large space, I’m constantly trying to make it just right.”

On the importance of framing wall art:

“Recently, I brought (Calhoun Beach Framing) an insert out of an old Frank Zappa album to frame, and they did a great job,” she says.